Liverpool set to back £28m rebuild scheme

The £28 million construction of new buildings for three Liverpool schools is set to be approved as part of the city’s on-going Building Schools for the Future (BSF) rescue programme.

The £28 million construction of new buildings for three Liverpool schools is set to be approved as part of the city’s on-going Building Schools for the Future (BSF) rescue programme.

The city raised a total of £169 million via government funding and money from the city council after being badly affected by the cuts to the BSF programme in 2010.

The first school to be built under the programme, Notre Dame Catholic College, opened its £15 million new building in Everton in September.

Now three more building projects are expected to be approved at a meeting of Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet tomorrow (Friday, May 16).

The plans detail a new home for the Archbishop Blanch CE High School at a cost of £17.5 million. Also included are new developments for Northway Primary School in Childwall and New Park Primary School in Kensington, costing £5.5 million each.

Archbishop Blanch will move from its old and outdated building near the city centre to a new purpose-built site.

A Liverpool City Council statement said: “The site has been earmarked because it is in close proximity to the existing school and has good transport links. It will educate 900 girls aged 11 to 16 and have a mixed 6th form.”

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said: “This is a much-needed investment in three schools which desperately need it and is part of my commitment to deliver at least 12 new schools for pupils in the city.

“The new buildings will be a tremendous boost for thousands of present and future generations of school children and ensure they get the most out of their learning. We are working with construction firms to make sure as much of the money is spent locally as possible and benefits the workforce in the city.”

Archbishop Blanch headteacher Jane Griffiths said: “We are all greatly excited by having the chance to plan a new building from the ground up, enabling us to create a brilliant, modern learning environment for our students.”

Work will start later this year on all three schools and they are expected to open in September 2015.

A separate report to the Cabinet meeting shows that by September this year, officers expect 10 schools to have been completed or to be on-site under the BSF rescue package.

CAPTION: Grand designs: Plans for the £17.5 million rebuild of Archbishop Blanch CE High School